Wooded landscape with View on "Het Rode Klooster"

Jacques D' Arthois (Brussels 1613 - 1686) was a landscape painter and tapestry designer who mainly worked on wooded landscapes, leaving figures and characters over to the hand of other painters. He was in fact -and one of the few- sources of influence for landscape painters in the late 17th century (together with others such as de Vadder, Huysmans and Immenraet, the so)called "Brussels School"). 

D'Arthois often painted landscapes that can be situated in the suroundings of Brussels. Our work is interesting because it can be located quite precisely: in the background, in the valley, we see the "Rood klooster" ("the red monastery") an Augustinian priory in the "Zoniënwoud" : a forest, near the village of Auderghem. The monastry had its origins in 1368 and was largely demolished in 1789. 

In terms of style d'Arthois, our work is a typical painting for him. Detailed fluttering leaves and trees, a color palet that is soft and vibrant at the same time, leaving no misjudgement on the mastery of his metier. 

Signed and dated lower left:  Jacques D'Arthois 1652
Oil on Canvas, 122 x 95 cm